#30. Zorro, The Shortest Member Of The Police Department
Meet Zorro, the newest addition to the Marblehead Police Department: an adopted Chihuahua who was brought by Chief Joy to help reduce the influx of adoptable pets due to Hurricane Florence. He is being trained to be a Certified Therapy K9 for those that are in retirement homes, assisted living and anyone else that needs to be cheered up.
The department proudly shared a post introducing the pup back in November, where they also mentioned:
“Zorro will also be accompanying Chief Joy on patrols. All funding, training, or any additional costs will be provided by Chief Joy as a thank you for everyone’s continued support for our Police Department.”
#29. An Unusual Couple
This love story started at the Carolina Waterfowl Rescue, where a female emu and a male donkey fell in love. The rescue team has taken in all sorts of cross-species couples since its beginnings; however, this couple seems the most tightly bonded. Rescuers started to notice they liked to cuddle and even sleep together, so they were dubbed “Jack and Diane.” How cute! Now, since they could not stand being apart, the rescuers had a tough job: they were on a mission to look for someone willing to adopt both an emu and a donkey.
Soon after Jack and Diane’s video went viral, they found many families interested in giving them a home. The rescuers received over 2,000 adoption inquiries. Amongst them, The Walking Dead actor, Jeffrey Dean Morgan tweeted at the organization saying he’d be “happy to take them and keep them together” at his farm. Morgan’s farm is famous for being home to animals such as donkeys, alpacas, and cows. “He just seemed like the perfect fit,” the staff said. Next one comes rolling, don’t miss #28!
#28. Karamel, The Squirrel
Karamel got stuck on a wild trap in Batman, Turkey and as a result, he lost his front paws. Squirrels in this country are targets for amateur hunters, despite the activity being illegal. Luckily for Karamel, scientists at Istanbul’s Aydin University Vocational School of Health Services lead a project to give this little fellow the chance of a new lease of life. They’d give him a new prosthetic limb structure, which had never been given to a squirrel before. All thanks to the innovative vision of an animal-loving engineer, Tayfun Demir.
According to the Daily Sabah, Demir and orthopedists Mustafa Gültekin, Dr. Tolgay Şatana, and physical therapist Eylem Küçük led Karamel’s one of a kind project. Before he could be fitted with the device, the squirrel had to undergo two complicated, yet successful operations. Nowadays, Karamel is the first squirrel to receive a pair of prosthetic limbs. It turns out Demir has a pet squirrel of his own and is very keen on expanding his engineering skills for the purpose of helping injured animals. Truly inspiring!
#27. A Corgi Riding A Pony
Callie Schenker lives on a farm, where she keeps her “one-eyed wonder pony”, Cricket. Just as any other evening, while pulling back in her driveway coming back from getting some food, she couldn’t believe her eyes: she saw her beloved Cricket being secretly ridden by an unexpected rider, the neighbor’s dog. She quickly grabbed her phone and recorded what later became one of the most viral videos of 2018 with more than 800k views.
It turns out that the corgi is known for regularly wandering the neighboring farms and became friends with the pony, according to Schenker’s Facebook post. “The dog didn’t get hurt! He just likes to wander around the rural area we live in. Cricket is fine, he lost his eye a long time ago in an incident that had nothing to do with the dog! Honestly, I’m lucky I even got the video because my phone was nearly dead. I didn’t have any intentions of his video being viral. I just posted a funny video I thought my friends would enjoy. I’m glad everyone got a good laugh out of this,” she explained. If you believe friendship has no barriers, check out #26!
#26. The Kid And The Dog’s Love For Fetching
This is the story of a golden retriever and a 2-year-old kid whose friendship overcame the odds. Everyone heard about the story when Chad Nelson, the father uploaded their video on Twitter with a caption that reads:
“A fence can’t stop my two-year-old from playing with his new best friend.”
Golden retrievers have become one of the most trendy breeds when it comes to family dogs, in the United States being the third most popular. This is due to their gentle and playful character making them ideal to be around the little ones. They receive their second name because of their ability to retrieve shot game undamaged however it is also popular as a disability assistance dog, a detection dog, and even a search and rescue participant.
#25. 21st Century Hachiko
Allow us to introduce Xiongxiong, a 15-year-old shaggy dog whose patience and love broke Chinese social media. This Little Bear, as his name translates, awaits at the train station for twelve hours every day for his human to come back from work.
“He appears around seven or eight o’clock every day, when his owner goes to work… and he waits, he just waits really happily,” a local told the BBC.
After a video of Xiongxiong went viral, people have been visiting him from all over to take a picture, give him snuggles and petting the good boy. If this story sounds somehow familiar to you, you are probably thinking about the 2009 movie called Hachi: A Dog’s Tale, based on the renowned Japanese Akita called Hachiko. He is a symbol of loyalty since he became famous for waiting for over nine years for his owner at the train station after he passed away.
#24. A Sneaky Burglar: A Rogue Squirrel
On a quiet Thursday morning in London, the Harrow Borough Police received a phone call from a concerned woman. She called them because she heard some loud noises downstairs and she was convinced there was a burglar in her kitchen. Once at the scene, the officers found the kitchen “a mess”, according to Get West London. What they also found was the suspect: a furry tiny rogue squirrel. One thing is for sure, the creature was not arrested and the police filed no charges against it.
2018 was an exciting year for these cute squirrels since they also hit another headline. “Rogue squirrel runs onto Olympic course, narrowly avoids snowboarder.”, says USAToday.com. This unfortunate experience happened to Daniela Ulbing, skiing for Austria: “A squirrel scampered on the parallel giant slalom course Saturday in Pyeongchang and was inches away from tragedy as Austria’s Daniela Ulbing went racing by.” We are happy nothing happened to Daniela and the squirrel. Check out the next tough love story between a dog and a cat!
#23. Literal Cat Fight Stopped By A Good Boy
During the summer, this charming story became viral on Twiter. It was a homemade video of an adorable Golden Retriever that decided it was time for his friend, the cat, to cool down. The moment he saw him ready to fight another cat he ran over and took action. Just before the cat could pounce, the good boy grabbed him and escorted him outside. Even though no one knows the story behind the video, this cat-dog teamwork made over 10 million people LOL.
Now, “fighting like cats and dogs” doesn’t seem like a good description for these pets in the Twitter video. The truth is, according to vets “relationships between cats and dogs are possible, depending on their personalities and their owners’ patience and understanding. And while the initial introductory period can be tricky, this unique relationship can be quite rewarding both species.” So, instead of “fighting”, how about “cooperating” like cats and dogs?
#22. The Bear Cub That Got His Head Stuck In A Jar
Thanks to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, a confused 100-pound male black bear was tranquilized after a three-day pursuit. Once more relaxed, the jar that was stuck around his head was removed.
“The crowd was very happy to see the cub safely handled and reunited with the sow and another cub,” Wildlife and Heritage Service Director Paul Peditto said. “Our response staff did an outstanding job dealing with this very public situation, and handled it in a most professional and responsible manner.”
The rescued cub, known as “Buckethead,” was freed near the Wisp Resort in McHenry during the annual Autumn Glory Festival in front of all the locals and the Wildlife Service Staff. As for what was inside the jar before it became his headpiece? “We think it was on that had pretzels or cheese balls in it, by the shape anyway,” Department of Natural Resources officials wrote on a Facebook post. Who can blame him, right?
#21. The Pup That Recognized His Sibling
For everyone out there claiming dogs aren’t particularly clever, meet Louie. Back in May, while walking with his human, Walela, the Labradoodle stopped immediately in front of another doodle who turned out to be his brother. He recognized the other dog who came from the same parents and the same breeder. Their humans then took the most charming picture of the furry siblings.
Labradoodles are a fairly new dog breed that comes from Labrador Retrievers and Standard Poodles. They are known for being smart, friendly, affectionate, loyal, trainable and patient. Vets recommend owners not to let their Labradoodle’s excessive friendliness overcome healthy respect for unfamiliar animals. Less sociable dogs may get scared or hostile when a Labradoodle rushes at them in an innocent but exuberant attempt to say: “Hi There! Wanna Play?” #20 might make you hungry, don’t say we didn’t warn you!
#20. The Pig That Returned Home Thanks To A Bag Of Doritos
Imagine there is a large pig in the middle of a residential area, the police arrive and they realize there is no way to gain control of the animal. This is what happened in a small town in California. Officers Ponce and Berg had to come up with a plan to retrieve a pig “the size of a mini horse” back home and it had to be quick. One of the officers grabbed a bag of Doritos that was in her lunch bag and lured the beast back where he lived. They just made a trail and he followed.
Luckily for the deputies, the pig didn’t hesitate to follow the officers down the street as they filmed the bizarre roadside “pignic“, which ended back at its owner’s home. “We were able to put him back in and secure the gate,” Officer Ponce said to HuffPost, adding, “It was fun!” Later, the office wrote on an Instagram post that, from “crime-fighting to safely securing a mini horse sized pig, we do it all.”
#19. The Sea Lion Who Stopped Traffic
A sea lion was spotted in an important intersection stopping to apparently scratch its back. California Officers were called to the intersection to find the chubby seal lying on its back in the roadway blocking traffic. It must have been in no hurry since the row of cars waiting for their right of way started to become longer and longer. Soon after, a SeaWorld San Diego crew arrived at the scene and trapped the little fellow in a net to later be loaded into a cage.
Not only is it peculiar to see a sea lion so far inland, but also it is what happened while the team was catching the animal. People on the street began singing Seal’s “Kiss from a Rose” as the scene unfolded, as seen on some videos. SeaWorld Senior Animal Care Specialist Heather Armentrout said the female sea lion didn’t appear to have any injuries but did say the lion seemed “alert, active and responsive” after a full-body exam.
#18. The Military Dog Who Got Adopted After Almost 10 Years
Seven years ago, Marine Nick Montez finished his service in Afganistan and was sent back to the USA. Ever since, he had been waiting to adopt Mally, his beloved bomb-sniffing dog. The 9-year-old Labrador retriever was still completing her service in the military, that was the only reason why they were apart. After countless attempts to adopt the animal through the years, Montez received a phone call informing him that Mally would be ready for adoption. “I think it was definitely one of the best moments of my life,” Montez said of the phone call.
“Our job was to find improvised explosive devices in the ground and save lives of fellow Marines and civilians,” Montez said. After her years of hard work, Montez changed Mally’s life. She became a companion to him and his 3-year-old daughter.“She’s absolutely going to be a family dog,” he said. “Mally, she’s been working her whole life. Before she was a bomb dog, she was a bird dog when she was a puppy. All she’s ever known is work. Instead of her being treated as a tool, I want her to be treated like a pet or family member.”
#17. Dog Returned For Being Too Nice Found Home
Helena’s former owner gave her up to an animal shelter in Atlanta for being just “too nice.”Yes, she really was returned for being too nice,” LifeLine Animal Project spokesperson Karen Hirsch told Today. “It was obvious the gentleman was looking for a guard/protection dog. He also suggested she be adopted by a woman ‘because they are more into that petting stuff.'” Her former owner, the poor lad, got only ONE thing right about Helena: she is a complete and utter booper-lover.
So eager is Helena to be nearby people she treasures, she’s been nicknamed “Velcro dog.” She sticks to her loved ones like velcro. The reason behind her personality traits might be her beginnings living on the streets before she was dropped at the shelter. Happily, she was finally adopted after two days back in the shelter by her forever family, one able to accept her bona fide temper and constant need of attention and petting. Now, she enjoys getting all the petting and bopping she can, courtesy of her loyal masters.
#16. The Cat Who Adopted A Firefighter
Nope, sorry. You haven’t misread the title. Here’s what happened: A cat trapped in Northern’s California’s Campfire felt so grateful after being rescued that she couldn’t stop nuzzling and climbing on firefighter Ryan Coleman. He is one of the many brave volunteers who worked around the clock to protect humans and animals from the fire. “Kitty rescue. She just chilled on my neck and shoulders as I’d walk around,” Coleman wrote of the encounter on his personal Facebook account.
More than one million people have seen Coleman’s video playfully walking around with the cat as if she was a parrot, and one of the commenters asked him what everyone was wondering: if he was planning on keeping the kitty. “I wish. I’m still out here,” he responded in the post’s comments. Meanwhile, the lucky cat has been given the temporary name of Kitty-571 until a rightful human is found. The next one comes from the world of politics. Hit Next!
#15. Joe Biden Adopts A Rescue Pup
Former vice president and his wife adopted Major, a 10-month-old black and brown German Shepherd from the Delaware Humane Association (DHA), after fostering him for a long time. DHA posted on their Facebook a very popular picture saying: “Today is Major’s lucky day! Not only did Major find his forever home, but he got adopted by Vice President Joe Biden & Dr. Jill Biden!” The Bidens are proud owners of another German Shepherd called Champ.
“We are so happy to welcome Major to the Biden family, and we are grateful to the Delaware Humane Association for their work in finding forever homes for Major and countless other animals,” read Biden’s statement after walking Major out the DHS. A funny side note comes from a comment in the Association’s viral pic: ” I love this photo because the dog totally looks like he just figured out who Joe Biden is.” How about some zoo surprise next?
#14. Surprise Baby Ape At San Diego Zoo
A 37-year-old Siamang caught the San Diego Zoo crew by surprise when she gave birth to a healthy baby last year. “Baby alert Eloise the siamang welcomed a wee surprise last week,” the Zoo announced on Twitter. The amusement came from the fact that Eloise had been taking birth control for years and hadn’t shown any outward signs of pregnancy. According to the San Diego Zoo, Siamangs, native to Indonesia and Thailand, are on the endangered list.
Jill Andrews, animal care manager at the San Diego Zoo told USA Today: “We are overjoyed— because any birth of an endangered species is a reason to celebrate.” The baby has remained unnamed as zookeepers haven’t been able to check up on the baby just yet. Siamang mothers are known for fiercely protecting they’re young. “We’re just going to allow her to be a mama for right now,” zoo spokesman Andrew James told The Union-Tribune.
#13. Bullied Boy Saved By Rescue Dog
Jordan Radlick is a Michigan teenager with a rare condition called alopecia, which left him without any hair. Due to the bullying, he suffered back at school, his mother Cheri decided to pull him out of school and take him to a therapist. The therapist suggested that the Radlicks adopt a rescue dog, which could alleviate Jordan’s anxiety and depression. This motivated Cheri to reach Paws for Life, a Maryland-based group that rescues and rehabilitates dogs. They told her they had the perfect candidate.
Fred was the Shepherd/Labrador mix Paws sent the Radlicks because of his life story. He spent most of his life locked in a dark crate and although healed, he still needed a patient buddy to help him exercise and get fully recovered. “Fred has changed Jordan’s life so much,” Cheri said describing Fred as everything she had hoped for – and even more. “I don’t know how I can even express into words the magnitude of what he has done with my son,“ she told the media.
#12. The Dogs Who Were Saved By An Olympian
Not only did Meagan Duhamel take back home a Gold Medal but also two adorable dogs she rescued. However impossible to believe, during the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea, the two-time world champion pair skater managed to rescue a dachshund mix on one of her brief breaks. Duhamel has consistently been working to raise awareness of South Korea’s dog meat industry. Since then, she also adopted a sweet miniature pinscher who was her first dog’s shelter mate back in Korea.
As EK Park, founder of Free Korean Dogs told The Dodo:
“Each year 2.5 million dogs are tortured and killed for their meat in South Korea. Approximately 70 percent of these dogs are slaughtered during Boknal, a dog meat festival that takes place during the hottest days of summer; however, some restaurants within walking distance of the Olympic games still list dog meat on their menus.”
#11. Cat Reunited With His Family After 16 Years
Black Cat Winston escaped after his owner moved in with her new husband in 2002. Back then, Jan was not worried as the feline would always go off for a few days and then return with a full belly. However, Winston never came back and as the years went by all hopes of finding him were lost. Imagine how surprised Jan was after she received a call from a vet to say they had just found his cat staggering in the road, not far away from the family’s residence.
Sixteen years after, Winston was still the aloof cat who didn’t like too much fuss. Bringing him back home was not cheap but the family is very excited to have him again. “He’s so hungry, that’s what gives us hope that he will be ok. I can’t believe how much he eats.”, Jan told the New York Post when she had just got Winston. She also advised “all owners to get their animals microchipped, it’s inexpensive and painless, and can help you be reunited with your lost pet.” Check out the next athletic good boy!
#10. Stray Dog Completes Half Marathon
Stormy won hearts after he unexpectedly completed a half marathon in Kalgoorlie-Boulder. He suddenly started scampering alongside the competitors at the Goldfields Pipeline Marathon. “Stormy took about two and half hours to complete the course after stopping and playing with volunteers at each station,” Marathon volunteer coordinator Allison Hunter told thewest.com.au. Of course, he was awarded a medal for his efforts, like any other competitor.
After the Marathon, Stormy was taken to the local pound awaiting for his owners to claim him back. Hunter said that if his owners did not come forward, there were many runners willing to give him a good home.
“At the race stations he was having a little runaround and saying hello to us – said the volunteers and participants- and then he would team up with another runner and keep on following the crowd.“
#9. Cat Saved His Entire Family
The Kecskes family realized something was amiss when their usually quiet cat, Mr. Boo wouldn’t stop meowing. “I woke up to my cat meowing. He never meows. He usually just squeaks or doesn’t meow at all. It’s actually kind of a joke in our family,” Ariana Kecskes says. He did whatever it took to alert his humans of the carbon monoxide they were breathing; while stumbling down the hallway he kept on meowing. Mr. Kecskes and his son had to take the whole family out, including passed out Ariana.
“It’s like he’s been waiting his whole life to do this one heroic thing,” said Ariana about Mr. Boo. Asst. Chief Kevin Hummeldorf with the Green Township Fire Dept. says carbon monoxide is a silent killer. “Odorless, colorless, tasteless, all those things to be true and oftentimes people don’t know they’re being affected by that until it’s too late,” Hummeldorf explained. He recommends everyone to get fire and carbon monoxide detectors for every floor of their homes and check batteries every 6 months.
#8. Sloth Mom Reunited With Her Baby
Jaguar Rescue Center in Limon, Costa Rica, managed to quickly reunite a baby three-toed sloth with its mother. According to the rescue’s Facebook post, the mom-baby pair got separated from one another somehow and it was unsure how long it had been. On May 8, the baby sloth was kindly returned to the rescue by someone who found the little animal on its own. At that moment, their search team was on a pickle as to how to come across the mother, but they came up with a clever solution.
As a way of trying to bring the mother into sight, the team played a recording of the baby sloth on a speaker, and to their surprise, the scheme worked out perfectly! In a blink of an eye, the mom climbed down the tree to get closer to the shouts of help she immediately identified. The sweet moment when she hugs the baby to her body was caught on camera. Don’t miss out the next heartwarming story of a viral golden who cannot contain his jealousy!
#7. True And Fake Medicine For Pupper Siblings
This is one of the most viral homemade videos of 2018. Todd is the proud owner of a golden who needs to receive ear medicine and a very jealous brother that can’t stand his sister’s getting more attention than him. Cash really needs whatever his sister has, even medicine. As Chloe Copley tweeted: “My dog has ear medicine she needs and the other one also thinks he needs it too… nobody has the heart to tell him it’s just pretending.”
The video shows the heart-melting Cash patiently waiting for his “ear medicine”. His family wouldn’t like him to feel left out so they just please him. However cute the case, specialists from The Dog People recommend: “Dogs want their share of the attention, food, and other good things you provide—it’s only natural. But when dogs start acting jealous and seeking your attention more aggressively, you’ll want to look at any changes to their home life.”
#6. Australia’s Famous Gay Penguin Couple
An inexperienced penguin colony in Sydney was going through a case of bad parenting during the mating season. Young parents would neglect their eggs to go for a swim, fool around or just play, allowing their eggs to get cold, most likely never to hatch. However common the scenario for such youngster penguins, there was an extraordinary couple that stood out. “They made the biggest nest, and they sat on it constantly,” aquarium staff told The Independent.
“Sphen and Magic looked like they would make great, diligent, careful egg-warming parents,” so the staff decided to put a neglecting couple’s egg in their nest. Some weeks later, it hatched and now the healthy chick runs around the docks. These two gentoos became a larger symbol for the country for the battle for same-sex marriage back when they started to “date.” It was clear for most that if a gentoos colony could figure this out, a human nation would certainly too. And they did! Love wins!
#5. The Fluffiest Criminal Of 2018
Let’s just take a minute to look at Bungle, a 4-month-old Chow Chow puppy who was taken into custody by Northamptonshire Police under the United Kingdom’s Dangerous Dogs Act after the pup bit one of their officers. The Police told The Independent the dog had escaped and was loose on a busy street at the time of the incident, which did not seriously injure anyone. Bungle’s humans were told it could take months until they could get him back home.
How long did it take for you to fall for this lovable ball of fur? Well, soon after the news spread thousands of people voiced their support for the Chow Chow through a Facebook group and even a petition for his freedom with more than 10,000 signatures. He was even featured on the cover of the Sun, saying “I’m a silly puppy… get me out of here.” In the end, Bungle was returned under the condition they agreed to a Voluntary Control Order, though, Police Chief Christ Hillery said the decision was in no way related to the media. We are just happy he’s back with his loved ones.
#4. Labrador Father To Nine Ducklings
Nine extremely cute ducklings were found wiggling around the field when a Mountfitchet Castle staff member came across them. Their mother was nowhere to be found. Everyone at the British tourist attraction was worried about the ducklings but Fred immediately became a stay-at-home father for the babies. The 10-year-old pooch, who is also the resident pet of the castle took the orphans under his paw and they couldn’t be more thrilled, they love him!
Jeremy Goldsmith, director of Mountfitchet Castle told Dailymail: ‘We think it was possibly a fox,’ still wondering what had happened to the mother duck. Currently, Fred can be seen lying on the grass sunbathing with his adopted children by his side. Also, he enjoys taking the nine brothers and sisters on his back, when they are not following him around or going together for a swim. ‘Fred has got an absolutely wonderful nature. They absolutely love him,’ Jeremy added. We all do, Jeremy!
#3. Sully: The Most Loyal Service Dog
On November 30th, 2018, George W. Bush, 41st president of the USA passed away. A few days later, the funeral took place bringing people to the U.S. Capitol building to honor their former president. Next to the flag-covered casket was his service dog, Sully. Bush had recently gotten Sully to assist him with things such as opening and closing doors, picking up objects and seeking help, if needed since he had to use a wheelchair in his final years.
Sully had stayed by Bush’s side since the day he died. By the end of that week, Bush spokesman Jim McGrath shared a touching picture of the loyal lab lying on the ground in front of his master’s casket. “Mission completed,” McGrath wrote on Twitter, along with the hashtag #Remembering41. The image has been shared more than 74,000 times. Nowadays, Sully helps wounded soldiers as they go through physical therapy and other medical treatments.
#2. Hurricane Florence Cats & Dogs Not Left Behind
Tony Alsup, 51, is the founder of EARS, the emergency animal rescue, and shelter which saved more than 53 dogs and 11 cats from various shelters in the path of Hurricane Florence. The Tennessee truck driver bought a school bus and single-handedly transformed it into an animal transport to get all the pets to a shelter in Alabama. “Not the most conventional evacuation, but surely the one with the most heart,” wrote The Saint Frances Animal Center on Facebook.
After his first rescue, Tony headed to Lumberton where a dam was about to collapse. “Pray for those people in Lumberton that that dam doesn’t collapse, but we’re trying to get people and pets out of the way before this thing breaks,” he said. “It’s better to be safe than sorry. Don’t be somebody who thinks it’s better to be lucky than safe, just get out of the way.” EARS continues to help out all those furry friends out there, so make sure to look them up online, or even donate! Ready for a cuteness overload? Click Next!
#1. The Fat Cat’s Fit & Loving Home
When Mike Wilson and Megan Hanneman went to their local Humane Society they did not expect to be immediately drawn to Bronson, a 33-pound three-year-old cat. Yet, the adoption process was not a piece of cake. “The Humane Society was backed up to the point that we weren’t able to see Bronson in person and so the first day all we saw of him was his backside,” said Wilson on LoveWhatMatters’s article. The couple, owners of a cat furniture company felt the need to help him lose the extra pounds.
“I remember my cheeks hurting from smiling for so long,” remembered Winston about the day they first met him. Everyone can follow this beautiful love story on his Instagram account @iambronsoncat, where his humans update Bronson’s current weight alongside with a neverending feed full of his robust body, cute face, and mittens. They say he is quite a ladies man and is now at 26.4 pounds. We know you can do it, Bronson! Atta boy!
Faith in Humanity completely restored!